1. The Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to methods for manufacturing drill bits, such as continuous manufacturing processes for making diamond-impregnated core drill bits.
2. The Relevant Technology
Often, core drilling processes are used to retrieve a sample of a desired material from below the surface of the earth. An open-faced core drill bit is attached to the bottom or leading edge of a core barrel. The core barrel is attached to a drill string, which is a series of threaded and coupled drill rods that are assembled section by section as the core barrel moves deeper into the formation. The core barrel is rotated and/or pushed into the desired sub-surface formation to obtain a sample of the desired material (often called a core sample). Once the sample is obtained, the core barrel containing the core sample is retrieved by removing (or tripping out) the entire drill string out of the hole that has been drilled (the borehole). Each section of the drill rod must be sequentially removed from the borehole. The core sample can then be removed from the core barrel.
Manufacturing diamond core drill bits is traditionally accomplished using a batch process. In these batch processes, a specific number of drill bits (i.e., 5˜6 bits) are prepared and then are manually placed in a box furnace. The drill bits are then heated to temperatures in excess of 2000 degrees Fahrenheit for a pre-determined amount of time until the bits reach the desired state of complete infiltration. The bits are then manually unloaded from the box furnace by an operator. The bits are then cooled and processed. Such batch processes often produce about 6 bits per 35 minutes for a standard bit size.
Such a process often makes use of a fair amount of manual effort. Further, such processes often expose the operator to high temperatures from the bits and the furnace at temperatures over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, exposing the individual to danger and discomfort. Although protective equipment can make the operation relatively safe, it is an unpleasant and grueling environment for the operator. Additionally, manual batch processes can lead to inconsistencies as they often rely on manual efforts to monitor and move the bits.
Inconsistent product quality, in turn, can lead to lost time during a drilling process because a lower quality bit may become dull in the drilling process more quickly than anticipated. During a drilling process, when a drill bit becomes dull it must be replaced with a new drill bit by tripping out the entire drill string section by section, replacing the old drill bit with the new drill bit, and then the entire drill string must be tripped backed into the borehole section by section. Thus, a drill bit that dulls prematurely may be very costly in time and effort.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.